On Thursday at a press conference, Garcia placed blame for the errors on the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC). In a statement to the media yesterday, Gopeesingh said Garcia has direct and total responsibility for the education sector and cannot “pass the buck” to a regional institution. He said the ministry has representation, at a senior administrative level, at the Barbados-based CXC and ought to have ensured the crucial examination was error-free.

“In fact, on the eve of the examination, Mr Garcia confidently assured that everything was in place for a smooth running of the test and that the ministry had played its appropriate role,” Gopeesingh said.

He said the ministry’s Division of Education Research and Evaluation and Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan, should have ensured an error-free examination.

He said the errors added further stress to the more than 18,000 students who wrote the examination and, “raised burning questions about the integrity of the examination process.” “Mr Garcia must apologise to the students and must launch a full and complete investigation into the obvious and critical failure of the ministry’s officials who serve at the CXC. This foul-up in the latest in a series under Mr Garcia’s watch, which have served to undermine and otherwise negatively impact the education sector in Trinidad and Tobago,” Gopeesingh said.

In a telephone interview, Doodhai said due diligence was not observed by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) with respect to the proofreading of the SE A examination paper. The CXC is the body charged with overseeing examinations for students in the Caribbean region for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SE A); Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSE C) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (CAPE) examinations.

It is based in Barbados.

“If due diligence was observed then the errors that occurred on the examination paper would have been discovered and would have been able to be rectified.” One maths and two language arts questions in the SE A exam won’t be marked after Education Ministry officials noted errors in the three questions when the exam papers were collected after the exam ended.

He continued,, “The (Education) Minister and the CEO (Chief Education Officer Harrilal Seecharan) would have indicated that the three questions would not be marked, however, I do not think that the issue is as simple as that.

Reports given to us from teachers said some students would have taken longer on those questions trying to ascertain what they were asking and in an attempt to answer them, precious time that could have been spent on the rest of the questions would have been lost.” Doodhai said he is quite sure there are children who may have gotten agitated or nervous as they could not arrive at an answer for these three questions that contained errors and/or omissions on the exam paper. He said the issue should not be dismissed so soon by the Ministry by merely saying the questions would not be marked.

“Obviously, it would have negative effects on some students.

TTUTA is of the view that it is grossly unfair to primary school students who after preparing so diligently for so many months, to have to come on the day of the exam and face this issue of errors in the exam paper,” a peeved Doodhai said.

He added that CXC needs to put, “their house in order”, to ensure such an issue never occurs again. Noting there was a similar issue in the 2013 SE A mathematics paper, where a question on the paper was not a topic approved in the syllabus. Doodhai said that four years later, students were faced with another problem.

In a telephone interview yesterday, a primary school teacher who asked not to be named said there was another error in the mathematics paper. The teacher said they were told to use guidelines from a table of specifications from 2007 and 2008. “When my children asked me about number 43 C in the maths paper, I told them we were told to teach about the 15 percent VAT based on the 2007 and 2008 guidelines, and now the government is saying 12.5 percent (VAT).

“The maths problem stated, ‘Mrs Brown paid VAT at 12.5 percent’.” The teacher continued, “This was a problem because we were supposed to teach 15 percent to the students and they brought something else for the students. Based on the information given to us through the ministry to use 15 percent, the exam brought a question on 12.5 percent and that was a big problem for some students.”

Hinds was responding to a question from Opposition Chief Whip David Lee in the House of Representatives.

In response to a follow up question from Chaguanas West MP Ganga Singh, Hinds reiterated, “The answer to the question is no.” At the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre on Thursday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said, “We are going to ask TSTT to explain to us exactly what are the implications of that decision.” He explained the information which Cabinet is seeking will determine “whether this is a governance, operational or policy matter.” Imbert said it will also clarify how this affects Government’s policy for the continuation of TSTT, especially in relation to the acquisition of a company and its associated personnel. He said once Cabinet has all the information and is able to analyse it, it will make a decision in due course.

Later in the sitting, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat said it was premature to say whether a human resources audit being undertaken at Namdevco would result in job losses. Rambharat said the audit is geared towards improving efficiency.

Larry Largen, manager of the band told Newsday yesterday: “They didn’t give us any notice.

They just put up a sign last night saying ‘No Trespassing’.” The land belongs to Remnick Pariag who Largen said is a steelband lover. He said: “Pariag put us in the yard and when he died his relatives left us there.” “We don’t pay a rent so we have no problem moving. All I told them is if they want us out just give us two months notice. But four days ago we got a verbal notice. We told them then, we will move by weekend but they didn’t wait. There was no written notice,” Largen said.

Largen said a relative of the deceased Pariag gave them the verbal notice but when they arrived at the yard yesterday morning, they noticed the entire front of the structure broken down and some of their pans on the road. He couldn’t say who took the pans out of the yard and put them on the road. He lamented that they now have to secure their pans while they look for another home.

Brimblers made it to the 2015 Panorama Single Pan semis with Toco Band, arranged by Severance ‘Sparky’ Shockness. It has been in every major pan parade around the town year after year, including We- Beat, Pan on the Avenue, Republic Day and the PoS City Parade

Yesterday head of the division Senior Superintendent Kenny Mc Intyre said he was eagerly awaiting the DPP’s instructions because he is of the view that the perpetrator or perpetrators should be brought to justice for their actions.

Mc Intyre, prior to the Easter weekend, compiled a list of duties which included road blocks and searches starting from Holy Thursday to Easter Monday.

The information was passed to a typist and copies of the duties were made available to other police officers in the division.

However on Good Friday (April 14) Mc Intyre was informed that the document was leaked via social media and ordered an investigation. This resulted in the cell phones of at least eight police officers being seized. Several others were also questioned and statements recorded. The phones are yet to be returned

This was the ruling of High Court judge, Justice Margaret Mohammed who held that the workers, having chosen to follow the guidance of their union, must now bear the consequences of the advice given to them to stop work. The workers filed an action seeking payment of wages during the period June 24, to September 1, 2014.

They also sought a declaration that the work stoppage complied with Section 15 of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.

In their action, the workers complained of health and safety risks at their offices at Balisier Avenue, Couva, including inadequate ventilation, presence of excessive dust, mould and fungus, an infestation of cockroaches and other vermin, inadequate toilet facilities, a deficiency in water supply, exposed electrical installations, congested office space, unsafe stairways among other complaints.

The workers were represented by attorneys Rajiv Persad and Kyle Taklalsingh while Senior Counsel Russell Martineau and attorneys Rishi Dass and Alisa Khan represented the SILWC. Justice Mohammed was asked to determine if the work stoppage complied with the OSH Act and should the 33 workers be paid for the period they did not work.

In her 64 page judgment delivered at the Port-of-Spain High Court, Justice Mohammed held that it appeared the workers were ‘ill-advised’ by the PSA to invoke section 15 of the OSH Act, ‘in particular in circumstances where it was not warranted’ and where they knew their allegations could not be substantiated.

She said the workers were ‘hasty’ since it was clear they engaged in the work stoppage, ‘under the guise of actual health and safety concerns when admittedly they knew such action was all part of the PSA’s action in the wider public service to close down government offices at the time.’ In dismissing the workers’ claim and granting the counter-claim by the SILWC, that the workers not be paid for the days they did not work, the judge also ordered the 33 workers to pay the committee’s costs of defending the action.

Christoph Grenville, 20, of Tarodale, San Fernando was granted $500,000 bail by Magistrate Cherril- Anne Antoine in the San Fernando First Magistrates’ Court to answer to the charges.

On Thursday, Christopher Meade, 29, was brought before the same magistrate to answer to the same charges and was refused bail. The charges read to Grenville yesterday alleged that on April 27, he shot at PCs Dario Ramlal; Melissa Suchit, Cheryl Ann Roberts; Clevon George and Michael Ragoonanan at Union Park East, Marabella.

Other charges read to Grenville were that he was in possession of ammunition to endanger life and possession of a firearm.

Another charge read to him alleged that he broke into a house of a man and robbed him of $2,000, an iPhone and US$1,000. He was not called upon to plead to the charges. Attorney Indira Binda held for Subhas Panday.

The exhibits were also produced before the court. Court prosecutor Cleyon Sedan said the accused man had no previous convictions.

Sedan did not object to bail. The magistrate in granting bail ordered that Grenville hand over his passport and report to the Ste Madeleine Police Station to sign bail.

“Banks are not price-fixing, and fees and charges are reflective of the cost for providing the services,” she said. Schnoor yesterday told the Joint Select Committee inquiring into finance and legal affairs at the Office of the Parliament, Port of Spain that bank fees and service charges “were adjusted” only three times over the last ten years. Some banks had no increases during the same period, and online and mobile banking options have remained free, she said.

For many fee categories, she said, “the inflation adjusted fee increases have actually been negative over the last ten years.” In preparation for the inquiry, Schnoor said, “because BATT does not collate or have knowledge of the strategic decision making process of any individual member bank, we engaged the services of an international accounting firm to collate information in aggregate on the industry.” Compared to similar services provided by banks in the region, Schnoor said, almost all fee categories in TT were lower. She noted that the survey carried out by the accounting firm found that fees and charges represent seven to 11 percent of total revenue of all banks, and the banking sector’s profitability per customer and per account has declined over the last ten years.

There were many reasons for the decline in profitability with the main reason being, she said, “tremendous increases in operating costs in all banks over the same period.” The firm also found, she said, that net interest margins in the banking industry are at their lowest levels in over a decade and all loan major categories, current interest rates are lower than they were a decade ago.

Deposit rates have also declined over the same period, she said, “this is directly due to a build up of liquidity in the sector.” She added, “As a reference point deposits have grown from $50 billion to now over $110 billion in the last decade.” She said that profitability in the banking industry has marginally increased “at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 1.2 percent over the last decade with declines in key metrics such as ROA (return on assets) and ROE (return on equity).

Schnoor said that over the past decade the eight commercial banks (BATT’s membership) have provided over $4.6 billion in taxes to Government and over $11.8 billion in dividends to shareholders, the majority being TT nationals. Asked if $4.6 billion in revenue over the past 10 years was not low given profitability, Schnoor said, that the banking sector is the second largest contributor to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in the country.

Noting that it was important for clients to have access to information, she said, there was need for financial education and financial literacy

The level of human interaction, civility and common sense has virtually crashed in almost every community. A person can now be beaten worse than a dog for doing their job, or for correcting someone for their misbehaviour, or for even a slight scratch on a vehicle.

I thought we Trinidadians were supposed to be friendly, warm loving and hospitable towards each other, especially if there are foreigners looking on? Intolerance and violence have even invaded our schools to the point where we can watch girls and boys gone wild, fighting on YouTube. The thing is that people are going to blame the Government, the Opposition, cable TV, the Internet, the media generally, and not the man in the mirror, which is all of us.

We adults have failed in our responsibility by setting rotten examples of behaviour at home, in schools, and in public.

Manners, politeness and displaying good qualities are considered outdated or “old school” and who wants such a boring title. The only way this beautiful nation is going to see some change is when mature, respectful and law-abiding citizens do all in our power to make a difference, starting with our own actions on the streets and in communities across the country.

MARK HERNANDEZ via email

On April 28, former health minister Dr Fuad Khan told Newsday there was no conflict of interest in him holding shares in St Augustine Private Hospital Limited while he served in the People’s Partnership (PP) administration from June, 27 2011 to June 17, 2015.

According to the Certificate of Incorporation for the St Augustine Private Hospital Holdings Ltd, dated December 20, 2012, Khan is listed among 29 shareholders of the company. He is classified as a medical doctor and is listed as having 250,000 ordinary shares. Registrar-General documents dated October 26, 2007, list Khan as holding those shares since that date. Documents dated February 8, 2013; January 7, 2014; January 8, 2015; July 17, 2015 and July 14, 2016 also list Khan as a shareholder.

When Khan asked Deyalsingh if there was any increase to access to CT scans at the St Augustine Private Hospital, Deyalsingh replied, “I am aware that no minister of health who owns shares in a private facility, can sign a certificate under the Public Hospitals Act to issue to a licence to a facility in which they are a shareholder.

How can a minister owning 250,000 shares in a private facility in the first place be conducting operations in that facility and issuing a licence to the same facility that he has shares in?” He said under the Integrity in Public Life Act, “There should be an investigation.” Speaking afterwards with reporters, Khan said he had been a shareholder in the company since 1999. “I have always declared my interests to the Integrity Commission.

They have all the information there. Khan said as minister he recused himself from anything to do with the hospital and the chief medical officer dealt with those matters.

While he had no intention to file a matter of privilege against Deyalsingh, Khan said, “This is a silent attack on myself but I don’t believe it is coming from the PNM.” Asked if the attack could be coming from the United National Congress (UNC), Khan said he had certain information and would do his own investigations.

Earlier in the sitting, Deyalsingh said Government saved taxpayers $190 million on the Arima Hospital because of overinflated costs on the project under the PP.

He said the country owes Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi “a debt of gratitude” for that.